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Data Streaming - Cost to us

S

steviec

macrumors member
Original poster
Apr 25, 2009
64
8
Hi,

We all know that the unlimited data plan for the iPhone is not truly unlimited. I think its 5gb a month.

So if we stream data over the iPhone is there a formula that can be used to work out total bytes etc.

For example, if I listen to Sirius/XM for an hour what would be my data usage?

Does this make sense?
 
Why not just look up your usage either online at ATT.com or on the iPhone settings->general->usage
 
If it's streaming at 64k then 28MB/hour. 128k is 56MB/hour. So, at the 128k rate you would hit 5GB in 89 hours.
 
avaloncourt said:
If it's streaming at 64k then 28MB/hour. 128k is 56MB/hour. So, at the 128k rate you would hit 5GB in 89 hours.
Click to expand...

Your confusing Kbps with KB.

128Kbps = 8KB a second.

8KB/sec * 60 sec * 60 min = 28,880KB an hour (28MB/hour)

28MB * 24hr = 672MB/day.
 
STEVESKI07 said:
I highly doubt you would have a problem hitting 5gb per month unless you are tethering.
Click to expand...

70384439_ba1fd5b9de.jpg
 
Unless something changed with the 3GS, the iPhone data plan is actually unlimited. I'm sure that will change when they begin to offer tethering.
 
steviec said:
Hi,

We all know that the unlimited data plan for the iPhone is not truly unlimited. I think its 5gb a month.

So if we stream data over the iPhone is there a formula that can be used to work out total bytes etc.

For example, if I listen to Sirius/XM for an hour what would be my data usage?

Does this make sense?
Click to expand...

The threads going around that the iPhone in the U.S. with AT&T is not truly "unlimited" are wrong. The iPhone is unlimited; the threads are quoting part of the TOS that has nothing to do with the iPhone (i.e., aircards, or whatever they're called, that you plug into a laptop).
 
1Zach1 said:
Unless something changed with the 3GS, the iPhone data plan is actually unlimited. I'm sure that will change when they begin to offer tethering.
Click to expand...

It won't unless they keep the current customers grandfathered in. Otherwise everyone under contract would be allowed to cancel their plan without the ETF.
 
avaloncourt said:
Your math is wrong. 128kbps = 16 KB per second

It's 128 / 8

For some reason you're calculating on a 16-bit byte

http://www.google.com/search?hl=en&safe=off&client=safari&rls=en-us&q=128+kb+in+KB&aq=f&oq=&aqi=
Click to expand...

As a matter of fact, in the real world, unlike the situation with storage capacity, data flow in terms of bits per second almost universally uses decimal notation instead of binary notation.

For example, with MPEG 1 Layer 3 (MP3) audio, as specified in the standard reference design, the term "64kbps" does indeed refer to exactly 64000 bits of audio data per second.

If you were to apply the binary definition of kbps, then 64kbps would refer to 65536 bits of audio data per second, which is an impossible value - there simply is not any interpretation of the MP3 standard which would allow such a bitrate to occur.

So 128Kbps streaming audio really is 128000 bits per second. That is 16000 bytes per second, or approximately 15.625 KB (in the binary meaning of the word) per second.
 
steviec said:
Hi,

We all know that the unlimited data plan for the iPhone is not truly unlimited. I think its 5gb a month.

So if we stream data over the iPhone is there a formula that can be used to work out total bytes etc.

For example, if I listen to Sirius/XM for an hour what would be my data usage?

Does this make sense?
Click to expand...

the way i understand it, they dont get you for going over your cap once
its if you go over by a significant amount every month, or if you go over by several gigabytes that they get suspicious. then they start watching you, to see how your actually using your data

if you use, say, 4 gigs one month and then 5.5 and then 3, it wont be a problem
 
dccorona said:
the way i understand it, they dont get you for going over your cap once
its if you go over by a significant amount every month, or if you go over by several gigabytes that they get suspicious. then they start watching you, to see how your actually using your data

if you use, say, 4 gigs one month and then 5.5 and then 3, it wont be a problem
Click to expand...

There is no cap.
 
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